This morning's road trip got off to an auspicious start with this ORANGE Dodge Aries, above, circa 1980's K Car, which I observed on the 10 Fwy eastbound in Santa Monica, with surf racks on it! A Classic K Car Surf Vehicle, indeed!...
x-ref: In 1984, The New York Times said the K platform not only "single-handedly save(d) Chrysler from certain death, (it) also provided the company with a (platform) that could be stretched, smoothed, poked, chopped and trimmed."[1]
comment/sidenote: a lawyer friend of mine in 1985 approximately, had one of these newfangled K Cars and if you did not close the door properly, a computer voice would state over the p.a., "A door is a jar, a door is ajar"... until you freaking closed the darn door properly. My pal then would say, "I disagree, a door is a door!"... True story!
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Further on down the road... and now on the 405 Southbound...
Dateline: Friday morning, June 30, 2017... road trip to Manhattan Beach to the Training Center to pick up our new recurrent lifeguard i.d. cards... with a stop at Randy's Donuts on the way, of course...
Below, the Training Center is getting a facelift inside and out with new landscaping, a new coat of paint on the exterior and inside it is getting prepped for a new paint job as well, etc. et al.....
Below, N. Pier tower beside Manhattan Beach Pier, with one of the Dept's new "Ranger" 6 wheel drive ATV's parked behind the tower. Word has it that the turning radius on the Ranger is limited and requires a wide turning radius. Other than that the Ranger ATV is a beast and can plow through the deep sand, can carry a backboard and can even get you to the snack shop at El Porto!...
Above and below, the Ocean Lifeguard at 18th St. tower is watching the water like a hawk with his binoculars!...
No #beachtrash to speak of in Manhattan Beach! Well done to the crew at LACDBH in Manhattan Beach!
Above and below, this tiny crab should consider itself VERY LUCKY that it hasn't ended up in a big steaming pot at CAPTAIN KIDD'S FISH MARKET! :-)
Below, less than a dollar...
Below, a body board parked out front of the 26th St. tower doesn't seem to be impacting the traffic near the shoreline...
Needless to say, a lot less people on the beach along this stretch in Manhattan Beach than along Santa Monica South...
On the other hand, look at how clean this beach is!!!... You won't find this stunningly swept and gorgeously clean sand in Santa Monica, esp. not south of the Santa Monica Pier...
Above and below (close up), veteran LACo OL, Jerry Lopopolo, livin' the dream and watching the water at 30th St...
Below, a couple of locals head back to work after a lunch time surf session...
Recurrent Quiz: Can you name these two lifeguards above and below (in close up)... one of them just did a buoy swim and the other just finished a paddleboard workout after eating a donut from Randy's Donuts...
OL Sean Hamada, working 26th St., on a foot patrol, above and below...
And then after a buoy swim and a shower it was time to hit the road and needless to say our timing was perfect... because there is J-Lo hisself (aka, veteran LACo OL/Cabrillo JG Instructor, Jerry Lozano) showing up to collect his new OL I.D. Card... :-)
Single lane Vista Del Mar.....
Single lane through Playa del Rey too!...
1:20 pm approximately and it is bumper to bumpter northbound. Imagine what it is like during rush hour?... Be sure to plan ahead if you can when you head to the Training Center to pick up your new OL i.d. card.
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Until next time.....
Will Maguire, Editor
"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com
(All photos by & Copyright Will Maguire 2017.)
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